If you want to buy Luke Axtell’s new country compact disc, “The River Runs Dry,” you have just two days to do so.
Unless you want to wait until after the 2000-2001 college basketball season ends, that is.
Axtell, who recorded his first musical endeavor over the summer at a studio in his hometown of Austin, Texas, has learned he cannot sell the CD until his athletic eligibility as a collegian expires at the end of the school year.
The school year starts Thursday the day Axtell’s Web site www.lukeaxtell.com will stop accepting orders.
NCAA rule 12-5-1-3, entitled “Continuation of modeling and non-athletically related promotional activities,” prohibits a student-athlete from promoting any products, even ones he/she has created.
This, in theory, is to prevent sports stars from putting a product on the market that fans would buy in mass quantities just because of the athlete’s stature at the school.
In Axtell’s case, his CD is a legitimate, full-length country recording with full background ensemble, priced $12.99.
“Regardless of the argument a student-athlete might make about the popularity or success of a non-athletic venture …. the NCAA will argue part of the success of the venture is based on the notoriety of the student-athlete,” KU compliance director Janelle Martin said.
“There is that careful line. Student-athletes cannot endorse their products.”
Axtell is allowed to mention his CD in media interviews, but cannot take part in special promotions until his eligibility has expired this March.
Axtell could have sold his CD during the school year, Martin said, if, for example, he used a pseudonym and did not have his picture on the cover of the CD. His picture and name are on the cover of the CD.
“If the cover was a picture of a sunset and horse as opposed to him and said, say, ‘Fred Jones’, he could do it (year round),” Martin said hypothetically.
Axtell, by the way, could make unlimited profits off his CD in the offseason, when athletes are allowed unlimited income on summer jobs. The amount of money an athlete can make working during the school year, however, is limited.
Axtell has done nothing to jeopardize his eligibility for his senior season, Martin said.
Martin said this was the first time she can recall a KU athlete attempting to sell a product before.
“It’s an easy situation if a student-athlete says, ‘I want to endorse such-and-such product (for somebody else).’ That is not allowed,” Martin said. “We have not had any student-athletes with this kind of talent and have not had to address it before.”
Coincidentally, Luke’s sister, Brooke, has put out her own CD, “Paper Doll,” and has already received some positive reviews.
Axtell’s mom, Mollie, said Brooke would possibly hold a promotional signing Saturday in Lawrence. Luke had planned on promoting his own CD from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Hastings but now will not.
Mollie Axtell said the family was disappointed at having to delay pubic sale of the CD, but would abide by all NCAA rules in order to keep Luke eligible. Axtell will be able to do full promotion after the season.
His efforts will likely be similar to those of ex-Jayhawk Jerod Haase, who wrote the book “Floor Burns” his senior year, then promoted and sold the book after his eligibility had expired.
Years ago, a Northwestern football player was allowed to be paid for an acting appearance he made in a movie. The player had threatened to sue the NCAA. No lawsuits are expected in Axtell’s CD situation.
Josh Childress, 6-6 from Lakewood, Calif., told Pac-West Hoops despite recent rumors, he is not favoring Kansas over Arizona, Stanford, North Carolina and UCLA. Childress reiterated he will attend Late Night With Roy Williams with prep center Jamal Sampson, but Santa Ana’s Cedric Bozeman would not be joining them as rumored. Bozeman, who said recently KU remained on his list of schools, has an SAT test scheduled on Oct. 14.
Dijon Thompson, 6-6 from Redondo Beach, Calif., who once said KU was on his list, told Pac-West Hoops he’s down to four schools: UCLA, USC, UConn and Arizona.
Missouri has received a verbal commitment from Duane John, a 6-6 forward from Canada. According to High Major Hoops, John picked Missouri over Syracuse, Louisville, Pitt, Michigan State and others.
